Steamships announces 10th Stevedoring Joint Venture with Wakang MOU.
12 November 2020
The Managing Director of Steamships, Rupert Bray, travelled to Lae recently to participate in the signing of an MOU between United Stevedoring Limited (USL) and the Wakang Association Inc., the representative business body of the Wakang community.
The signing was witnessed by village elders, Neil Ellery, the CEO of the Lae City Authority, former parliamentarian and senior Morobe statesman, Bart Philemon, along with employees of USL and the community.
Wakang Village has long been a major employment source for USL with 63% of its workforce coming from the community, and the MOU represented the formalization of a relationship that reaches as far back as 1979.
Bray was pleased that the relationship had progressed to a new level. “The MOU represents a new opportunity for this community, and that is the opportunity to co-own a business venture, grow it, and reap regular dividends”, remarked Bray, in an address to over 100 men, women and children from the village.
“The partnership model is one that we at Steamships are very proud of”, continued Bray. “Today’s MOU marks the 10th such joint venture that JVPS has around the country. Our JVPS business employs over 1000 people, and I’m pleased to say that 99.7% are Papua New Guineans”.
All of Steamships’ stevedoring joint ventures are partnerships with communities from impacted areas. Each JV is a company registered with the IPA, has its own bank accounts and operates independently, and each community has board and management representation.
Kalo Alu, chairman of Wakang Incorporation Association, commended Steamships on creating the opportunity through the joint venture with the village. He said that the relationship between Steamships and Wakang was further strengthened through its association with Consort Express Lines for over 38 years. Consort Express Lines is a division of Steamships.
Local representatives commended Steamships for providing the community with an opportunity to engage in a meaningful business partnership that would secure employment for future generations, and provide a vital source of income for the village.